Echinacea: Rapid relief for anxiety

Note from Kathleen: This is an excerpt from an excellent book I recently published, Echinacea: Nature’s Best Kept Secret Against for Stress and Anxiety by Gaetano Morello, N.D. I know it has provided help for several people I know who suffer from anxiety. Hopefully, it will help you and yours, too.

About four years ago, I was introduced to Echinacea angustifolia and some of the clinical research about its anxiolytic properties (anti-anxiety effects).

I was told that the product was effective within a span of 30 minutes to one hour. Obviously, I was skeptical. How could a natural ingredient work that fast, I asked? As a naturopathic physician, my experience with botanicals is broad and seldom had I heard of a quick-acting plant-based medicine that would address anxiety in just a few minutes. In my experience, only the prescription drugs like Ativan™ had that type of claim to fame.

So like any curious physician, I began investigating the product. Any alternative to highly addictive anxiolytic prescriptions would be very welcome in my world.

Josef Haller, Ph.D., head of the department of behavioral neurobiology at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest conducted some of the research on Echinacea angustifolia. This was a perfect excuse to fly to Hungary and talk to Dr. Haller about his understanding of this medicine and how it works.

The discovery of this natural medicine came about while Dr. Haller and his team were analyzing a variety of species of echinacea. Their findings were surprising: Some of the plants contained compounds that could influence brain chemistry, including endocannabinoid receptors.

Of course, echinacea is well-known and well-studied for the treatment of common colds and flu, and sometimes used as an anti-inflammatory. The effect is likely due to its ability to rev up the immune system and banish the viruses that cause colds and flu. But the idea that it could have effects on brain chemistry in any way was astonishing.

It’s also known that echinacea strengthens the immune system.

So what’s happening when a little bit of echinacea can stop a panic attack in its tracks?

An interesting Austrian paper published in 2005 explains how researchers ventured into the realm of anti-anxiety properties of echinacea by looking at its immune-stimulating ability and finding that there is a specific link to the ECS receptors on immune cells, and then normalizing anandamide ligand levels.

This simple observation and some earlier research suggested that a specific extract of this specialized echinacea would have an effect on anxiety.

Getting the right Echinacea

To get a better understanding, scientists began comparing a number of species of echinacea plants for the active ingredient that imparted the anti-anxiety effect. Their research found only one species of echinacea- Echinacea angustifolia—provided high enough levels of the anxiety reducing compounds.

In a further follow-up study, seven types of echinacea extracts were compared to the prescription anti-anxiety drug, chlordiazepoxide (Librium™, a benzodiazepine). Two echinacea preparations showed some mild effects, but only one demonstrated a strong ability to reduce anxiety comparable to the prescription drug.

This special echinacea root extract not only met the prescription drug’s anti-anxiety effects, it exceeded them. It didn’t cause any drowsiness—a common side effect of prescription drugs for anxiety. Aside from drowsiness and lethargy, the other side effects of Librium™ include: confusion, edema, nausea, constipation, menstrual abnormalities, jaundice, altered sex drive, involuntary movements, and controlled substance dependence/addiction. None of these negative effects were noted when taking this special extract of echinacea.

What’s really important to note here is that a regular echinacea product off the shelf is not going to impart anti-anxiety effects. You need to get a specialized extract of echinacea that contains the correct amounts of alkamides, plant compounds that have a variety of benefits, including immune system stimulation. Not only do we need the alkamides in Echinacea angustifolia, we need to have the right ones to relieve anxiety. The only extract currently in North America that contains this special extract is called AnxioCalm™ produced by a well-established company known as Terry Naturally. Normally, I don’t mention branded products but in this case it’s essential that we use the correct product. I never recommend a product to my patients unless I’ve seen beneficial effects on at least 100 patients. This  absolutely fits the bill.

Human Clinical Research

In reviewing the clinical research, there is little doubt that this specialized echinacea extract works.

• In one study, 20 mg tablet form was tested on individuals experiencing increased anxiety and tension. After just one day, participants noticed a reduction in stress and anxiety, with a 25% reduction in 7 days.
• In another study published in Phytotherapy Research 2012, participants recorded noticeably reduced stress and anxiety in just three days. The study included 33 volunteers (22 women and 11 men) with an average age of 41. All participants were experiencing mild anxiety, assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), a well-accepted method for measuring anxiety levels. In this study, only individuals meeting the threshold for serious anxiety were included in the study. The subjects’ anxiety levels were evaluated before, during and after using the specialized echinacea extract for one week. Outcomes showed a decreased STAI scores within three days, an effect that remained stable for the duration of the treatment (seven days) and for the two weeks that followed treatment. There were no dropouts and no side effects reported.
• A multi-center, placebo-controlled, double-blind Phase II study involved 26 volunteers and stronger dosage levels. Individuals in the study were diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) according to DSM-IV (Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) criteria. The study started with a screening phase, followed by the six weeks of double-blind treatment. During treatment, participants received either 40 mg of the specialized form of Echinacea angustifolia twice daily or placebo tablets twice a day. Between visits one and six during the treatment period, the number of severely anxious patients decreased from 11 to zero in the echinacea group. So, this specialized echinacea preparation significantly reduced anxiety in general anxiety disorder patients, with a full effect within about 21 days. In my own clinical practice, I find that two 20 mg tablets once or twice daily of this specialized echinacea extract daily give consistent results when it comes to reducing the feelings of stress and anxiety.

What is remarkable about this special extract of echinacea is that it has measureable outcomes for subjects with general anxiety disorder. When you compare this product with anti-anxiety prescription medications, I would say this product works just as quickly, but with no side effects. The only drugs that work quicker are the benzos, which are accompanied by significant side effects including addiction disorders. This specialized extract of echinacea is free of these side effects, so extremely safe on all levels.

Looking to the future with echinacea

This breakthrough echinacea extract with its unique alkamide composition is just a glimpse into an untapped arena of therapeutic potential.

Since we know the ECS has such a far-reaching role in human body function, it stands to reason that supporting this system and bringing it back into balance can create numerous beneficial health effects. As we continue to explore the world of the ECS and its complexities, it is not difficult to see how this system can become a major asset in improving overall general health.

I have now begun using AnxioCalm^® as an adjunct in many other conditions and beginning to see measureable outcomes.

Dosage Recommendations:

Clinical studies have clearly revealed important information about echinacea dosage levels in addition to its impressive safety profile. Over the last four years, my clinical experience with hundreds of patients has confirmed those observations.

If you are dealing with “intense” stress and anxiety, start with two tablets twice daily. Ensure that one of those doses is in the evening before bedtime, because it will likely improve your sleep patterns. Once your stress and anxiety improve, you can reduce the dosage to once per day. Be secure in using as needed since the safety profile is outstanding and the ingredient is non-addictive.

If you have “moderate to mild” stress and anxiety, start with two tablets daily. Once the stress and anxiety improve, you can reduce dosage to as needed.

School age children can also utilize the benefits of this specialized ingredient as well. My recommendation is one tablet once to twice daily as needed. The safety profile as we’ve mentioned is impressive and, therefore, there should be no hesitation in using this product with children.

If you only deal with occasional bouts of anxiety, or you’re experiencing a stressful event, such as public speaking, a presentation or air travel, take two tablets and you’ll feel calmer and less nervous very shortly.

This product, Anxiocalm by Terry Naturally, in most cases, takes effect in about 30 minutes to one hour, in some cases within as little as 15 minutes.